The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar. Janata Dal (United) head Nitish Kumar will continue as chief ministerial face of the alliance, with both key parties, JD(U) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), agreeing to contest in 101 seats each.
Announcing the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement for the election to the 243-member assembly, JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said the seat-sharing was finalised in a "cordial atmosphere". According to Jha, both JD(U) and BJP will contest in 101 seats each, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha in six seats each, and Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has in 29 seats.
The JD(U) reportedly did not bargain for a lion share of seats this time, owing to the party's poor performance during the 2020 assembly polls; the party contested in 115 seats and won only 43. The BJP, which contested in 110 seats, won in 74. Paswan contested the election separately and fielded candidates in 135 seats.
Also read
Paswan's revolt was then suspected to have been at the behest of the BJP and had also resulted in JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar's exit from NDA, albeit for a brief period of 17 months. Announcing the arrangement, Paswan tweeted, "Bihar is ready — Once again an NDA government, this time with full strength."
Manjhi, who is rumoured to be unhappy with the formula, wrote on his X handle that he was returning to Patna, but asserted, "I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath". Manjhi was hoping for 15 seats, so that if his party manages to win in eight, they could get "recognised" status. |
